URGENCY ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE OF CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LANCASTER, CALIFORNIA, DECLARING THE EXISTEN CE
OF A LOCAL EMERGENCY RELATED TO CRITICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE IMPACTED BY HOMELESS
ENCAMPMENTS AND PROPERTY MAINTENANCE ISSUES;
AUTHORIZING IMMEDIATE ACTIONS TO PROTECT
PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE; AND
TEMPORARILY SUSPENDING COMPETITIVE
PROCUREMENT REQUIREMENTS TO EXPEDITE
RESPONSE
WHEREAS, the City Council is responsible for maintaining public health, safety, and the integrity of its critical infrastructure, as defined in Lancaster Municipal Code section 12.28.020, including public rights-of-way, storm drains, utilities, and public facilities; and the City has experienced significant increases in homeless encampments, debris accumulation, and property maintenance issues that obstruct, damage, or otherwise impair the safe and efficient operation of its critical infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, the accumulation of debris and materials in and adjacent to critical infrastructure presents a public hazard, causes unsanitary conditions in and around public facilities and rights-of-way, and poses immediate threats to the public health, safety, and welfare of residents, businesses, and visitors; and
WHEREAS, such conditions also create heightened risks of fire, flooding, contamination, and other hazards to the City’s critical infrastructure and surrounding communities; and WHEREAS, delay in addressing these conditions through standard competitive procurement processes would endanger the community by prolonging exposure to hazardous conditions and critical infrastructure failure;
WHEREAS, California Government Code sections 36934 and 36937 authorize the City Council to adopt an urgency ordinance, effective immediately, if necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds that a local emergency exists requiring immediate action to protect the health and safety of the public by authorizing expedited contracting and response measures to protect the City’s critical infrastructure.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LANCASTER DOES HEREBY ORDAIN, AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Declaration of Local Emergency.
The City Council hereby declares that a local emergency exists within the City of Lancaster as a result of conditions created by homeless encampments, debris, and property maintenance issues that threaten critical infrastructure and public health and safety (the “Emergency”).
Section 2. Emergency Authority.
The City Manager, or designee, is authorized to:
A. Undertake immediate actions necessary to protect critical infrastructure, public property, and community safety, including but not limited to cleaning, maintenance, removal of hazardous debris, and securing critical infrastructure (“Emergency Protection Actions”).
B. Procure equipment, supplies, and services to complete Emergency Protection Actions without adhering to the competitive procurement requirements set forth in Chapter 3.32 of the Lancaster Municipal Code where necessary to respond to the Emergency.
C. Notwithstanding paragraph B, any purchases made using county, state, federal or other restricted funds shall be procured in compliance with applicable county, state, federal and/or other applicable procurement requirements.
D. Prior to procuring any equipment, supplies, and/or services pursuant to this Ordinance, Staff shall solicit and seek to obtain at least three (3) quotes for such equipment, supplies, and/or services and shall select the contractor whose bid best meets the needs of the City to promptly complete the Emergency Protection Actions at the lowest cost.
E. Coordinate with regional, county, state, and federal partners to maximize available resources and assistance.
Section 3. Reporting.
The City Manager shall
A. For all contracts executed pursuant to Section 2 hereof, report the execution thereof to the City Council at or before the next City Council meeting.
B. Provide the City Council with periodic updates on emergency response activities, expenditures, and the status of impacted infrastructure.
Section 4. Duration.
This urgency ordinance shall remain in effect for sixty (60) days from adoption unless extended by the City Council.
Section 5. CEQA.
The City Council finds that this ordinance is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15301 (maintenance of existing facilities) and 15329 (emergency projects).
Section 6. Severability.
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this Ordinance is for any reason held invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions.
Section 7. Effective Date.
This is an urgency ordinance adopted pursuant to Government Code sections 36934 and 36937 and shall take effect immediately upon adoption by a four-fifths (4/5) vote of the City Council.
I, Andrea Alexander, City Clerk of the City of Lancaster, do hereby certify that the foregoing urgency ordinance was regularly introduced and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council on the ____ day of ________________, 2025, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
ATTEST: APPROVED:
____________________________ ______________________________
ANDREA ALEXANDER
MARVIN E. CRIST
City Clerk Vice Mayor
City of Lancaster City of Lancaster
STATE OF CALIFORNIA }
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES }ss
CITY OF LANCASTER }
CERTIFICATION OF ORDINANCE
CITY COUNCIL
I, ________________________________, ___________________________________ City of Lancaster, California, do hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of the original Ordinance No. , for which the original is on file in my office.
WITNESS MY HAND AND THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF LANCASTER, on this _________ day of ________________, ________.
(seal)
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